Article bagging machine



Oct. 9, 1962 D. B. BAKER ARTICLE BAGGING MACHINE Filed NOV. 27, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

DAVID BYRON BAKER BYMQ? Oct. 9, 1962 D. B. BAKER ARTICLE BAGGING MACHINE3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27. 1959 INVENTOR.

DAVID BYRON BAKER OC- 9, 1962 D. B. BAKER 3,057,382

ARTICLE BAGGING MACHINE Filed NOV. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FGJ a FIG-4Fl 5 65 I 63 G- 26 "Lv/A, @/vl INVENTOR. DAVID BYRON BAKER @www3,057,382 ARTICLE BAGGING MACI'HNE David Byron Baker, Box 455,Kennewick, Wash. Filed Nov. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 855,930 6 Claims. (Cl.141-83) This invention is a machine for bagging bulk larticles andcontrolling the quantity of articles bagged by the weight contained inthe bag.

More particularly the invention relates to an `apparatus for supportingand positioning successively plural open bags while the same are beingfilled to a predetermined weight of contents and subsequently releasingthe bags successively at a predetermined point of discharge.

Generally, the `apparatus comprising the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, comprises va xed o1' supporting frame havingconstantly rotating driving me-ans supporting plural bagging unitsedecting their constant movement about a predetermined constant paththrough `a illing station wherein articles yare introduced into bagssupported by the bagging units through material directing tunnels. Meansare provided on each bagging unit to deflect articles from entering thebag when a predetermined weight of contents is reached and subsequentthereto the bags are discharged at the `discharge station disposed at apredetermined point along said endless path.

It is therefore an object of this present invention to provide animproved bag filling machine capable of high speed operation.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an .articlebagging machine of the nature indicated which is simple in construction,economical to manufacture `and may be `assembled with facility.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel -articledeliecting mechanism to preclude loverlilling bags.

`Yet another object of this invention is to provide novel means forholding a bag by the apparatus and spreading the same to insure properentry of articles thereinto.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of `an`article bagging machine having bag supports with adjustment means for-adjusting the bag holding means individually to accept bags ofdifferent sizes.

A still further object of the invention lies in the provision of la bagholding device wherein the gripping pressure increases proportionatelyto the weight of the bag and its contents.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear tothose skilled in the art as the description proceeds when considered inconnection with `the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a preferred form of bag lling machineconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section taken substantially on the planeindicated by line 2 2 of FIGURE 1 and shown upon an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal cross section taken substantiallyon. the plane indicated by line 3 3 of FIGURE 2 4and having partsremoved for convenience of illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary Vertical View of the bag gripping device inalternate positions and taken on the plane substantially as indicated atline 2 2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the bag gripping device shown inalternate position coincident to the `alternate positions of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a .front elevation of one gripping plate .in alternatepositions;

tet t 3,957,382 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 FIGURE 7 is a fragmentaryhorizontal cross section taken substantially on `the plane indicated byline 7 7 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the plane indicated byline 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring rst to FIGURE l of the drawing, I provide a iiXed frame orstandard generally indicated by the numeral It, which supports the primemover 11 constituting a source of rotary power. Frame itl journals thespaced vertically disposed shafts l2 yand I3. Bull wheel sprockets 14`and l5 are rotatable with the shafts l2 and I3 respectively and aredisposed in a coincident horizontal plane with respect -to each other. Apower transmission 16 comprising a drive pulley I7, la driven pulley 18and an interconnecting belt I9 transmit rotary motion from the source ofpower Il to the shaft 13. An endless chain Ztl is trained about the bullwheel sprockets 14 and l5 for movement about an endless path in thedirection of arrow 2l.

Bagging units 22 are supported by the frame lil and are `adapted formovement about the endless path by means of the chain 2@ which issecured to each bagging unit 22 by means `of the 'bracket 23 (FIGURE 2).An endless conveyor 24, here shown to be of the belt type, suppliesarticles or produce 25' continuously to the article bagging machine. (Areturn conveyor, not shown, may be supplied to remove any articles whichmay fall, back to the supply from whence the articles 25 are conveyed tothe machine.)

It should be understood that the machine is capable of filling bags withany bulk or loose articles, and even though I describe the presentinvention as it respects produce and potatoes in particular, it is notmy intention to limit the invention except insofar as it is limited bythe appended claims.

It will be noted that the supply conveyor has a somewhat enlargedlateral dimension, thus it is not necessary to interrupt the movement ofthe bagging units 22 because su'licient produce will move from theconveyor 24 into the successive bagging units as they pass by thisreceiving station.

-When a predetermined weight `of produce is contained within 4a bag 26,carried by its respective bagging unit 22, means subsequently describedare provided for dellecting the entrance into the bag of any additionalproduce 25. Subsequently to proper filling, at la predetermineddischarge station indicated in general by the numeral 27, the ybags aredeposited upon a second conveyor 28 which removes them from the bagfilling machine.

In FIGURE 2 of the drawing, specific portions `of the fixed frame orstandard It) are disclosed but `are not interconnected to avoidconfusing the drawing with lines considered to be unnecessary to acomplete understanding of the invention. It will be understood however,that frame lil is a unitary structure similar to that disclosed in myPatent No. 2,763,109, and includes among yother elements a bagging unitsupport and stabilizing rail 10a, cooperating tilting cams lilo and 10d,a weight sensing member lilb, and `a frame guide bar Ille.

At the lower end of its first `frame 30 the bagging unit is providedwith a second bracket 23a to which is secured a second endless chaintrained about spaced bull wheel sprockets carried by the shafts l2 andI3 -concentric with the sprockets 14 and I5 and spaced therebelow. Atits upper end the first frame 36 is provided with a cross head 3i at theinner `end of which is disposed a stabilizing roller 32 disposed to rollon the inner face of the frame member lila and on a horizontal plane.Spaced below the cross head 3i; a support roller 33 disposed in avertical plane rides upon the horizontal flange of the frame member lilacand supports the bagging unit 22 by means of the iirst frame Btl. Atits forward end the cross head 3l supports a scale 34 which may or maynot have ya visual weight indicating dial and which includes `aweight-sensitive arm 35.

A floating frame 36 is pivotally secured at its upper and lower ends tothe first frame 30 by means of the links 37-37 which are hingedlyassociated at opposed ends to the frames 30 and 36 by means of hingepins 38-36. Floating frame 36 is bolted or otherwise secured at 39 tothe weight-sensitive arm 35 of the scale 34. A movement damper 40 issecured at one end to the floating frame 36 and vat the opposed end tothe cross head 3l of the rst frame 30.

The floating frame 36 has a pair of rearwardly projecting arms 41 whichsupport a horizontally disposed shaft 42 upon which is pivotallysupported a tilt frame 43. At its inner or rearward end the tilt frameis provided with a cam follower arm 44 which is adapted to cooperatewith cam 10c to shift the arm from the full line position of FIGURE 2 tothe dotted line position at which time simultaneously therewith, theroller 45 supports the forward or outer edge of the tilt frame 43 bycontacting the cam ltid. Thus the tilt frame 43 is tilted at apredetermined location from the full line position of FIGURES Z and 4 tothe dotted line position of FIGURE 4, the purpose of which will besubsequently described and clearly understood.

The tilt frame 43 has an integral perpendicular post 46 which carries akeeper 47 with which a dog 43 interacts to form a latch 49 having anelongated bar 56 provided with an adjustable actuating foot I. The latchbar 50 at its forward or outer end is pivotally secured to a materialdirecting funnel S2 which is movable relative to the tilt frame from thefull line position of FIGURE 2 to the broken line position thereof, bymeans of the pivots 53 carried by the tilt frame. t

Material or produce advancing from the supply conveyor 24 follows thepath indicated by the arrow 54 and is thus directed by the funnel into abag 26 carried by the bag support forming a part of the tilt frame. Asthe material contained in the bag increases in weight, the floatingframe 36 moves downwardly from its full line position toward the dottedline position whereupon the foot 51 strikes the frame member Itlb orother fixed member on frame lil or 30, lifting the dog 43 from thekeeper 47 whereupon the spring 55 moves the funnel 52 to the broken lineposition.

Produce following the path 54 is then deflected away from entrance intothe bag 26 by the funnel in the deflecting position which posit-ion isdisclosed at 52a of FIG- URES l and 2.

The tilt frame 43 is provided with articulate linkage, which may moreparticularly be understood by viewing FIGURE 3 of the drawings, andcomprises pairs 56 of links pivotally secured to a member 43a of thetile frame 43, and at their outer ends are pivotally secured to bars 57which are maintained in parallel relationship thereby throughout theirpath of movement from the full line position of FIGURE 3 to and beyondthe broken line position there-of.

Other articulate linkage 58-53 is swivelly connected to the bars 57 at55%*59 and the upper ends of the linkage 5S is swivelly connected at 60to a rod 6I iixed with respect to the frame 36 at a point rearwardly ofthe swivel connection 59.

When by means of cams c and 10d, at the discharge station 27, the tiltframe `43 is Itilted to the broken line position of FIGURE 3, thelinkage 58 pushes the bars 57 outwardly or forwardly and linkage S6causes them to withdraw toward each `other as shown by the broken lineposition of FIGURE 3. Simultaneously therewith tilt frame 43 is broughtback into the full line position with respect to the funnel 52 and thelatch 49 is thereby reset so that when cams 10c tand 10d release thetilt frame 43 and the entire bagging unit returns to the full lineposition shown in FIGURE 2, the funnel is held in the tunnelingposition.

Secured to the tilt frame 43 by pivotal connection 62-62 are stop platesupport arms 63 which carry at their outer ends the stops comprisingstop plates 64 having articulate linkage 65 designed to maintain thestop plates in spaced parallel relationship. Adjustment -bar 66 isloosely associated with one arm 63 at 67 and has spaced slots 68 whichcooperate with a pin 69 on the other arm 63 for adjusting the spacing-between the stop plates 64.

Inspection of FIGURE 5 will reveal that the bars 57 are provided withgripping plates 71D which cooperate with the stop plates 64 to grip themarginal edges of a bag 26 therebetween. When by tilting the tilt frame43 the Ibars 57 are moved to the broken line position of FIG- URES 3, 4and 5. The bag 26 is released to drop from the bagging unit 22.Simultaneously therewith a locking bar 7l releasably secures theclamping plates 70-70 in adjacency, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 8, so thatthe tilt frame 43 may not lower by reason of the inability of the bars57 to spread to full line position of FIGURE 3. However, when anoperator places a bag 'about the gripping plates 76, the spring loadedpresser foot 72 is struck by the bag and shifts the latch bar "7l from afull line position to the dotted line position of FIGURE 8 thusreleasing the gripping plates to spread to the position shown in FIGURE5 wherein the bag is gripped therebetween as the tilt frame `43, bygravity, returns to .the full line position.

The gripping plates 7i) may be applied to the ends of the bars 57 asshown in full line position at 56 wherein the sleeves 76a encircle thebars or the outer wall 0f the sleeves may be disposed in the slot 57a toposition the gripping plates 7@ inwardly as shown by broken lines ofFIGURE 6, at which time the adjusting bar 66 is adjusted to bring thestop plates 64 toward each other against the action of the springs '73to coincide with the spacing of the gripping plates 7 ti.

The frame 43 is supported by the gripping plates 79 striking the facesof the stop plates '64 which prevent further spreading movement of thebars 57. Therefore it will be seen that gripping pressure between theplates 70 and 64 is coincident to the weight supported by the tilt frameand therefore increases as the weight of material -in a bag 26 held bythe gripping jaws 64-70 increases.

It will be understood that the cams lic and 10d are not vrequired on theframe 10 for more than just a portion for causing the weight of saidframe to` outwardly bias Y said gripping plates toward fa'ce to faceengagement with said flat plates and each together with a flat plateconstitutmg la gripping jaw, whereby a bag wall `disposed between saidcooperating plates is gripped thereby; and means upon upward movement ofsaid frame for withdrawing said gripping plates to receive the mouth ofthe bag in encircling relationship with respect to said gripping plates.

.2.. A produce bagging and weighing machine compr1s1ng a conveyorsupplying produce continuously; a fixed frame; a powered mobile bagsupport carried by said frame for continuous movement about apredetermined endless path and at one point disposed to receive producefrom said conveyor; a bag holder carried by said bag suppogt andreleasabiy holding a bag to receive produceV from said conveyor; meanssensitive to weight of produce in said bag for dellecting produceadvancing from said conveyor away from said bag when a predeterminedweight of produce is supported in said bag;

and means for releasing said bag from said support at a predeterminedpoint along said path.

3, A bagging unit for an article bagging machine comprising a firstframe adapted for continuous movement about a predetermined path; afloating frame pivotally carried by said first frame for relativevertical movement; a scale carried by said first frame and having aweight depressible scale actuating arm supporting said oating frame;said floating frame having a bag holder releasably holding a bag toreceive articles; and means on said floating frame sensitive to theweight of articles in said bag for precluding entrance of additionalarticles into said bag after a predetermined weight is supported by saidfioating frame.

4. A bagging unit for an article bagging machine comprising a firstframe adapted for continuous movement about a predetermined path; afloating frame pivotally carried by said first frame for relativeVertical movements and supported upwardly of its lowest movement limitby a weight-sensitive arm; said floating frame having a bag holderreleasably holding a bag to receive articles; a funnel pivotally carriedby said floating frame for movement alternately to a deflecting positionand a funneling position whereby the articles me directed away from andinto said bag respectively; yieldable means urging said funnel to saiddelecting position; a latch carried by said floating frame forreleasably maintaining said funnel in a tunneling position; and meanseffective to release said latch when a predetermined quantity ofarticles are contained in said bag, whereby the funnel is moved to saiddeiieeting position by said yieldable means.

5 A bagging unit for an article bagging machine cornprising a firstframe; a second frame pivotally carried by said first frame for relativevertical movements and yieldably supported upwardly of its lowestmovement limit by weight-sensitive means; a tilt frame on said secondframe for vertical tilting movements between a horizontal and an angularposition; a bag holder carried by said tilt frame and movablealternately to a bag holding position, to receive articles when saidtilt frame is horizontal, and a bag releasing position, whereby torelease a bag when said tilt frame is in the angular position; a funnelpivotally carried by said tilt frame for movement alternately to adeiiecting po-sition and a tunneling position, whereby articles arerespectively directed away from and into a bag held by said bag holder;yieldable means urging said funnel to said deliecting position; latchmeans in said second frame releasably maintaining said funnel in thefunneling position; means sensitive to predetermined weight on said bagholder effective to release said latch for eiiecting movement of thefunnel to said deecting position; and means effective to release a bagfrom said holder and reset said latch when the tilt frame is tilted fromthe horizontal position to the angular position and returned to thehorizontal position.

6. A bag gripping device wherein the gripping pressure increasesproportionately to the weight of the bag and its contents comprising: apair of stop plates disposed in spaced parallel planes and opposed toeach other; a pair of gripping plates intermediate said stop plates andadapted to cooperate one with each stop plate for gripping a bag walltherebetween; said stop and gripping plates being carried by a tiltframe pivotally supported for vertical tilting movement; and anarticulate linkage supporting said gripping plates and carried by saidframe and operable to spread said gripping plates toward their grippingpositions during downward tilting movement of said frame and to withdrawsaid gripping plates from said gripping position during upward tiltingmovement of said frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 619,834Nickerson Feb. 21, 1899 936,169 Rulison Oct. 5, 1909 2,691,476 PetreaOct. 12, 1954 2,705,585 Wise Apr. 5, 1955 2,907,153 Toles Oct. 6, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 325,595 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1930 347,446 GreatBritain Apr. 30, 1931

